Where no Shadows Fall
by Werecat99
Summary: A necromancer's tale with violence, graphic horror and a bit of non graphic adult scenes. Chapter 7 up Please r&r!
1. From the Book of the Dead Gods

Author:Werecat99

Feedback: tashenubaste@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: The Diablo world belongs to BLIZZARD. Aurion is a character I created based on the Diablo II computer RPG and I'm making no money of him.

Note: The title comes from a favorite TV show of mine, Babylon 5.

WHERE NO SHADOWS FALL...

__

"I was old when time was young.

I walked the Earth with the Elder Ones.

I played with Life and Death

And all that lies between them.

When I died, my body was cut.

The pieces were baptized in blood

And embalmed with spit and bile.

I was buried in the egg of the White Worm

And after three nights I rose.

And now I walk again upon the Earth,

And the Elder Spirits weep.

Heaven and Hell, hear my cry!

I'll summon the Sea to Flood Hell

And I'll summon the Sun to burn down Heaven!"

From the "Book of the Dead Gods".


	2. In the beginning

Author:Werecat99

Feedback: zambopoulou@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: The Diablo world belongs to BLIZZARD. Aurion is a character I created based on the Diablo II computer RPG and I'm making no money of him.

Note: The title comes from a favorite TV show of mine, Babylon 5.

WHERE NO SHADOWS FALL...

The people in the marketplace parted as the tall, pale man walked towards the armory booth. He approached Fara and after some whispering he handed her a set of leather gloves and a scale armor. 

"Come back tomorrow, Aurion", said Fara. "They'll be ready for you first thing in the morning".

The man nodded and walked away towards the inn, with his trusted iron golem following him. 

A few yards away, a hooded figure walked out of the shadows.

*********************************************************************

Atma welcomed Aurion and guided him to a secluded table by the fireplace. As he walked among the other customers, all conversations stopped. The people still wouldn't trust him. Not after ridding the sewers from the evil dwelling there, not after restoring the sunlight in the Viper Temple, and probably not ever. But he has grown accustomed to such behavior. His quest after Diablo was not one for fame. And he didn't care much about holy causes; that was a paladin's job. Aurion's quest was a quest for knowledge and power.

He just sat there by the fireplace, slowly sipping from a glass filled with ruby wine. His golem stood behind him, almost blending into the shadows, being one with the wall, but always scanning the surroundings, checking newcomers, guarding his master. Aurion watched the people come and go in silence. In the dim candlelight he looked like a statue over a forgotten tomb. His hair was long, way past his shoulders, once blonde but now silverish. As the shadows danced on his face, his features appeared sharp yet handsome, with pale skin, a skin that has avoided exposure to sunlight for a lifetime. He gave the impression he was fragile, but looks can be deceiving...

Aurion looked at the newcomers. The story of the Dark Wanderer walking the land had attracted many ambitious adventurers in Lut Golein. Barbarians from the NorthLands, for instance, like the young lad who had just walked in. He was big and young and loud and bragged about his rare executioner's sword he had found. Aurion was certain he would find the sword in a skeleton's hands one of these days...

"Mortals..." he sighed, and finished his wine. He stood up and walked to his room. He should rest, because he had to enter the Arcane Sanctuary as soon as his armor was repaired. He exited the room with the golem following him. Just a moment before climbing the stairs, it stopped and looked back at a hooded figure sitting at a table in the darkest corner of the room. Under the hood, emerald eyes shone. After a brief moment of hesitation, the golem turned and followed its master.

The creature in the dark cloak smiled and ordered another round of golden ale.

*********************************************************************

The nest day, Aurion walked through the portal to the Arcane Sanctuary. He had dreamed of creating a similar place once. Maybe, when all is over, he would return here. But now he had a long road ahead of him. He checked his potions and wands and walked towards the northern corridor.

The golem walked in front of him, clearing the path of foes, providing him with plenty of dead flesh for his skeletons, while the necromancer casted curses and bone spears. He soon reached a clearing guarded by Night Lords. These were undead creatures that would suck the life from any unfortunate human who would cross their path. But they were no match for Aurion. All it took was a wave from his pale fingers. A curse, a summoning to his mages and his golem and all it was left was ashes and dust.

As he went through the loot, he noticed with a sad smile the sword of the young barbarian he saw at Lut Golein last night. The foolish boy must have entered the Sanctuary sometime during the night and fallen to the vampire's claws. Aurion hid the sword in his backpack. It would be handy, if his golem was ever destroyed. He waved his hands once more and unsummoned his skeletons, except for one ice mage. His minions had proved to be more a distraction than assistance in this place. The Summoner's hideout should be close soon, and he should have to rely to these two of his minions. He gathered the rest of the loot and walked further into the Sanctuary.

From afar, he heard an insane laughter, while several goat-heads ran towards him wielding huge scythes. The golem charged, killing as many as possible, while Aurion and the mage launched spell attacks towards the Summoner. But their enemy was not defenseless. The skeleton soon fell to pieces, while the golem was up to its neck with body parts. And Aurion had hid behind his gemmed gothic shield to block the incoming ice blasts. He threw as many curses and spears as possible, but he was growing weaker and slower from the continuous ice blasts.

The golem cleared the way from the minor monsters and advanced to the Summoner. But it was also week from the fight, and every ice blast slowed it even more.

"Not good, not good", whispered Aurion behind his shield. He drunk a minor potion hoping to regain some strength, but he could feel the cold reaching towards his soul. He had almost passed out, when a string of arrows fired from behind him hit the Summoner. With a final hit, the golem killed the Summoner. Aurion was too week to react, but managed to look back to see who this Deus ex Machina was. All he saw was a creature of unspeakable beauty in a golden armor, carrying a crossbow. A creature that reminded him of drawings he had once seen in an ancient scroll.

"Tyrael?" he whispered, before loosing consciousness.


	3. Under the hot desert sands

****

Chapter 2

__

He drifted through the oceans of oblivion, carried away by mystical tides and unseen, arcane forces. In the chaos that exists between the planes, he felt many entities present. Some were desperate, some were lost, some were hungry... and some send out psychic tentacles, trying to seize him. This was a place were demons dared not enter and angels feared. In his head, he heard a voice calling to him, a voice older than time and filled with rage.

"Don't resist, me, child..."

Aurion woke up with a cry.

He stood up, uncertain of where he was. He remembered battling the insane individual who had taken hold of the Arcane Sanctuary, and losing. He would have been dead if someone else had not intervened. At that time, he thought it was an angelic figure. But a close examination to his surroundings showed him otherwise.

He was inside a tent, and the heat suggested it was located somewhere in the desert. He was naked from waist up, and his wounds have been taken care of. His backpack was there beside him. Closer examination revealed that nothing was missing, and most important, the Staff of Kings was still there. This was his ticket to Tal Rasha's tomb, and fortunately he had though of putting a glamour to it, to avert theft. Beside his gear, he saw a dirty armour. But the dry mud on it just hid its brilliance. It was obviously a rare artifact, imbued with ancient charms. Next to it laid a crossbow. And the only kind of person that could use such a weapon was an amazon.

It was all clear now in Aurion's mind. Seeing an Amazon in this part of the world was an unexpected encounter. Fortunate or not, well, that was yet uncertain. 

He put his shirt on to protect his pale skin from the blazing desert sun and went out.

This was unknown territory for him. Probably this was the fabled Canyon of the Magi, where Tal Rasha's tomb was... among others. A few feet away, his iron golem stood. Aurion was pleased to see it. It was a valuable ally, and would miss it if it were ever lost in combat. And closer to the tent, he saw his saviour clearly for the first time. More clearly that he'd like, actually.

Resting her back on a fallen pillar, with eyes closed, a young woman was enjoying the sun. She was tall, almost as tall as Aurion, and very athletic. And, apart from a tiny loincloth, naked.

Aurion just stood there, uncertain of how to proceed. Sure, he'd seen naked women before, and during his rare visits in town he had found himself the object of many women's sexual fantasies. He even indulged to some invitations occasionally, but every time he was greatly disappointed. But this was different.

The woman opened her eyes and looked at Aurion. She stood up, took her shirt and put it on. Aurion's first impression was correct. She was indeed tall and muscular, yet slim. Her movement had the grace of a wild forest cat, and her hands were elegant and steady. Her skin had the colour of ripe corn where it was not covered by strange, complex tattoo designs. Her hair was light red, almost blond, and cut short, so it would not block her peripheral vision. She stared at Aurion, and her eyes were emerald eyes that could easily be found on a feral feline.

"So, Summoner, you decided to grace me with your presence?" she said, and laughed. Her laughter made Aurion think of a cool April morning. But her face brought him back to reality. 

It would have been beautiful once, so beautiful it could make a man's eyes hurt, as well as his loins. Her graceful features were encircled with red-golden locks of hair, her eyes were crested by perfect brows and her lips were full, with the colour of fresh blood. But a scar that started from her left eyebrow, went over her nose and ended near her right ear spoiled perfection.

"Stop staring at me!" she hissed. "I'm sure you've seen plenty of dead bodies and human remains to be disgusted by my face".

"Nothing can disgust me any more, young one", replied Aurion. "Believe it or not, I was just surprised".

"Is that so?" she mocked him. "Well, I must say I'm not impressed by you, so far, Necromancer. I've heard stories about your clan, as well as for you personally. I've heard stories of arcane power and valiant deeds, including the destruction of Andariel herself. Yet, here you are, staring speechless at my scarred face, not to mention the way I found you, almost dead by an insane mage". She laughed. " I should have known better than to trust the tales from drunks and old folk!"

Aurion was now furious, but tried to restrain himself. A duel of egos would get him nowhere.

"I have no time for this! Thank you for taking the time to save my worthless ass, but now I must be going. I'm sure you'll find others to pick on, while I must look for an ancient tomb. Goodbye!" He turned to enter the tent and gather his gear.

"Wait a minute!" she cried behind him. She reached out and touched his shoulder, and as she did, electricity run down his spine. He stopped.

"Look, we may have made a bad start here. My intention was not to offend you. I know you have the Staff of Kings, and that you seek Tal Rasha's tomb. I'm in the same quest myself, and I know the location of the tomb. I'm offering a partnership, and I know that you could use some extra help. The evil ahead is fierce, worse than what your minions can handle. I have information about it that I'm willing to share. So, what will it be?" she asked.

Aurion looked at her and thought for a moment.

"All I've seen from your fighting skills is finishing off an already crippled foe, no matter if you probably saved my life. How do I know you're up to the task?" he replied.

He had hardly finished his phrase when an explosion broke the silence. A band of spear cats attacked them from all sides, supported by huge brutes. 

"Well, I guess we'll find out", replied the young woman.


	4. Seeking the Tomb

****

Chapter 3

__

In a place where the sun never shines and the night never comes, a dark hooded creature stares at a black iron cauldron filled with dark water. It moves a fleshless hand over it and shapes form on the water surface. He sees a fierce battle on the mortal realm, and he laughs softly. At the sound of its laughter, the demons in Hell tremble and the angels in heaven weep. The ignorant mortals don't even notice it.

For better or worse, we cannot say...

Aurion waved his hands and the golem moved. It advanced to the attacking party, and with each move one dead body fell, only to rise again at the necromancer commands. Is seconds, they were circled by skeletons that did their best in keeping the enemies away. Meanwhile, the amazon grabbed her crossbow and bolts from the tent and attacked as well. Before launching her lethal bolts, she recited an incantation to her ancestors. The arcane forces laughed around her, and an eerie glow covered her hands. And as she begun shooting, each bolt split to many; and every single one of them was lethal.

The battle was over before it had already begun.

Aurion look at the amazon, who in turn looked at him waiting for an answer. 

"All right", he said, "I think we can walk together... At least for a while". Something inside him told him he would regret this.

"Then, Summoner, I think we'd better start moving", she answered with a smile. "And you can call me Macha".

They packed their gear and started walking towards the cliffs to the North. Macha called on her Goddess and a Valkirie answered her summoning. Along with the golem, she walked ahead and cleared off the various encounters. They reached the end of the canyon without much trouble.

Before them there were the ruins of on of the Seven Tombs. Macha walked to the entrance, cleared up the dust from the marble and rose with disappointment in her face. 

"No, this isn't the one. We'll have to walk more to the east and check the other tombs out as well", she said. "Unless you want to stop for the night".

"Young one, the night is my friend", replied Aurion with a cold smile that sent shivers down the amazon's spine.

They walked towards the next tomb. In the way, more Night Tigers attacked them. This time, instead of casually walk over the broken bodies, Aurion summoned a few mages. Better be prepared, he thought. He had heard rumors of an Ancient Foe that guarded Tal Rasha's tomb. 

And now he stood before the Tomb.

He waved at his minions, and looked at the amazon. She looked back at him and grinned. She was focused, calm, but he knew that deep down inside she was scared.

And so was he.

With a nod, he commanded his golem to break the seal on the Tomb entrance. And as the door was opened, the stench of a million deaths was released upon the land.

They stepped into the darkness.

The dark corridors were filled with deadly creatures. In every turn, Undead Summoners would unleash skeletons on them. From dusty sarcophagi rotting creatures would reach out to grab them with their poisonous claws. Every shadow had eyes and fangs and things that should be dust long ago walked with broken limbs. And in this hellish place, the bolts from Macha's crossbow dispelled the darkness and her fire purified the abominations. She walked carefully, unleashing bolts to everything that moved and her fiery hair illuminated the Tomb. Aurion walked beside her, a shadow among shadows, his face a mask of death. He called upon his arcane powers and the remains of their enemies exploded, sending out waves of destruction. And with bolts of fire and spears of bone they reached the entrance of the burial chamber.

Aurion took out the Staff of Kings and placed it in the shaft. The ground shook and the power chained in the Staff was unleashed. A lightning was called down from the sky and brought down the western wall.

Macha walked to the hole and looked inside. The stale air coming from within made her back up, but she steadied herself and tried to see in the darkness.

"It's useless, I can't see anything. But I'm sure I can hear something. It reminds me of bugs crawling on a wet floor", she said.

"I don't like this. But I hope I can find something out", replied Aurion, and waved to one of his skeletons. The Skeleton obeyed and walked in the chamber. A second later, Aurion heard the bones fall down. She summoned another skeleton. And then a third. They were all destroyed in a matter of seconds.

"Not good, not good", he said. He walked around the room as if searching of something. He kneeled down and picked up a shattered bone from one of the creatures they had banished upon entering this room. Macha looked at him in shock as he placed it in his mouth.

His mind melted with whatever consciousness the dead creature had. He tried to see in the darkness ahead. _A cold, wet room... Big, lethal claws... A creature from Hell... _and then the bond broke. But know he had an idea of what was ahead. 

"Get your fire bolts ready, and whatever protection from cold you have", he said to the amazon. And then he noticed the look on her face.

"What? You've never eaten drumsticks?" he said. 

He tried hard not to laugh out loud as she run to a corner and puked.


	5. The dark chamber

****

CHAPTER 4

__

In the jungles around Kurast, there is a place where not even the demons dare enter. No one knows what it used to be. Some say it is a mausoleum, some say it's a temple. But legends, that no living soul dares to remember, say that it is both. No bird or animal passes through, the undead and the demons fear it. Sunlight doesn't penetrate the pale mist around it and night avoids this place. 

In this forsaken place, not even Time dares to move.

Aurion and Macha walked in the dark chamber. Before they could blink an eye, the iron golem advanced and engaged with the enemy. Aurion's eyes were used to the darkness and he quickly saw the creature that was guarding the Tomb. It was no other that Duriel himself, one of the Lesser Evils. He sent out a series of bone spears on him, knowing that his skeletons were hopeless in this fight.

"Cold arrows, slow him down!" he shouted to Macha. Her eyes had not adapted to the darkness yet, but she obeyed, and a string of icy bolts flew from her fingers. Fortunately, this skill of hers did not require much aiming. These enchanted bolts could not miss.

They were fighting from afar, leaving the Valkyrie and the golem in the first line. Duriel hit hard, with enormous claws and demonic cold. But Aurion recited one curse after the other, breaking down the creature's resistance and increasing the damage done by his mages and Macha's arrows.

But Duriel was no demonic warlord. He was a Lord of Hell. Soon his cold penetrated everyone in the room. Aurion's minions broke down one after another. He used all his power to cast curses and he had difficulty to summon any more bone spears. Macha's fingers were frozen, but she kept on firing icy bolts with bleeding hands, not showing any sign of pain. And the golem did not have much life left in it.

Aurion reached in his backpack to get his last mana potion. But instead, his hand touched the sword he had found in the Arcane Sanctuary the day before. He took it out and looked at it. A forgotten charm was woven into it and it trembled with blood lust. Without thinking, he trough the sword towards Duriel. It flew in the air, crying out of joy and pierced the monster's chest, feasting on his malice. The demon's body broke to pieces and huge white maggots.

"It was about time!" cried Macha and kicked on of the maggots to the opposite wall. It splashed and dissolved into white bile.

Aurion picked up the sword and hid it again in his backpack. With it he found a ring with a strange engraving to it. He pocketed that too, hoping to exchange it with a few potions in town.

"Come on, let's find Tal Rasha", he said, and climbed the stairs to Burial Chamber.

But the mage was not there. They found the archangel Tyrael, imprisoned by Diablo. And he had grim news. Baal now resided in the Mage's body. And they were both now advancing towards the East, seeking to free the Third Brother.

Their journey should take them across the sea to Kurast.

******************************************************************

They returned to town, to restock in potions and arrows. The city was rejoicing upon the death of Duriel. While Macha was getting supplies from Fara, Aurion walked with Cain to make arrangements for their ship passage.

"I never expected to see a Necromancer teaming up with an amazon", said Cain.

"Neither did I", replied Aurion with a smile. "But she's proved to be a good comrade in battle. And there are battles ahead that require more than my skills".

Cain looked at him. "Are you speaking of the Dark Wanderer, or something else?"

The Necromancer sighed and stopped. He looked at the old guy, the last of his Order and thought if he should tell him.

"Tell me, old mage", he said, "have you heard of Neferaton?"

Deckard Cain went pale. "The Soul Eater? I thought this was a myth, just a spooky story!"

"No, Cain, it is not a myth. It's real and the truth is scarier than any story about him," replied Aurion in a low voice. "But come, we shouldn't talk of such things in the middle of the street. Let's find a quiet corner and I'll tell you of horrors worse than Diablo and his brothers."

As they stepped into the tavern, a vulture flew over them and headed to the sea.


	6. In a time forgotten

****

CHAPTER 5

__

Forged by Hellfire and Holly water, the Amulet of the Dying Sun is a legendary artifact. It was a gift of the Elder Spirits to a mortal Mage for some unspeakable deed, its echo long lost in the tides of time. It was of the same material as the Soul Stones, and crafted with strange runes and fragments of Trag'Oul's teeth. Its bearer was said to acquire long life and immunity to disease and aging. But in the runes a curse was hidden, as in all divine gifts. So that no mortal might accent to Godhood.

From the "Book of the Dead Gods".

Aurion sat at a secluded place in the tavern with Cain next to him. Macha soon joined them, while Aurion seemed to be lost in his memories. Shadows traveled on his pale face, echoes of things long dead. He began his story, the tale of a man who wished to become God.

~*~

When time was young and the arcane powers of the world was raw and untamed, two brothers, twins, walked away from the clans of the Eastern Sorcerers and entered the Southern Marches. In this damp and remote region they established a vast underground community exploring the Dark Arts. Soon others joined them and the Order of the Necromancers was form. It was never a former Order, like the Paladins or the other Mage clans, but they all were treated as such by outsiders. Their days and mainly their nights were spent in tombs and graveyards, exploring the mysteries of Life, Death and the unstable realm between. 

Among them, the two brothers became legendary figures of almost divine statue. There were no ranks or elections or councils; they all knew the twins were their leaders. They dwelled in the shadows under Rathma's temple and in the dungeons under Trag'Oul's avatar. They rarely came out in the open and no one dared disturb the rituals of Riathon and Neferaton.

Riathon was the older of the two, just for a matter of minutes, but sometimes minutes can make a huge difference. He was tall and slender, with pale skin and long silver hair. His eyes were deep, with memories of ancient fires dancing in them. He was silent and calm, and he approached everything with caution. But his arcane powers were great, and no one risked disturbing his calmness. He was always found studying dusty tomes of spells and incantations but, at night, he would talk to the dead. Unlike most of his kin, he approached the lost souls with respect, never openly demanding, but always asking. His rituals always included fresh hot blood for the dead and in returned they could ask for the small favors the dead ask, to learn of their families and friends. In a barbaric era, Riathon was a noble man and he had the protection of the dead. In gratitude for his respect, the dead would tell him secrets of artifacts long lost and they would walk around him as protection, forming a mist that shielded him from harm.

Neferaton was the younger one, and for some reason, he felt cheated for being born second. Although identical in appearance, he had a dark soul. He considered the dead to be tools. He twisted and tortured them and when he had no other use for them, he tossed them back in the abyss. Even the other necromancers feared his rituals, as hellish screams were heard from his keep every night. No one, not even his brother, dared question his studies. And Neferaton had a secret goal, something even Riathon was unaware of. He wished not only to use death, but also to deceive death. His ultimate goal was immortality. And with the arcane knowledge he had gathered over the years, as soon as he became immortal he was sure he would be a god. In his secluded keep under the avatar of Trag'Oul he experimented with lost spells and exotic plants gathered from tombs and mausoleums, and he achieved in expanding his life beyond human standards. But it was not enough. 

And then they heard the echoes of a fierce battle fought in Hell, of the Lesser Evils revolting against the Prime Evils. And the Limbo was filled with the essences of dead demons, and no summoner dared call on the dead. Because many rituals had taken a nasty twist and the unlucky necromancers had fallen under the powers of the dead demons. Not surprisingly, one of them thought this was a great opportunity to seek the dark secrets he desired.

In a dark room with strange engravings on the floor, illuminated by the dim light of black candles and filled with smoke of unholy incense, Neferaton challenged the souls of the dead demons. And they came. They came screaming and cursing, lusting for human blood. And they all fell to their knees. Neferaton was no ordinary necromancer. With enhanced powers of strange potions and ancient scrolls he confronted them and bound them with arcane chains. And he tortured every one of them until he found the secret he had been looking for all his life. 

With tears of blood, screaming in despair, the soul of a dead Balrog told him an old tale, known only to few in Heaven and Hell. Under the Jungle of Kurast there is an old ruined Temple. No bird or animal passes through, the undead and the demons fear it. Sunlight doesn't penetrate the pale mist around it and night avoids this place. In an era before human kind appeared on Earth, an old race came here to worship their God. In the depths of the temple, there is a bottomless pit where offerings were thrown in. And from the dark void within, one day every year, the God would emerge and give birth to a huge pearly egg. On that day, Time would stand still until the Great White Worm would return to hiding, because even Time fears the God of Death. 

The soul of the demon told Neferaton that the Ancient God still comes up every year and leaves his egg on the same site. But with the old Temple abandoned and no one to tend the eggs they rot in oblivion. The fluid of the eggs, if prepared and consumed accordingly to ancient scriptures, they grand the consumer of prolonged life as if Time stopped passing, just for him. And an old, unconfirmed myth speaks of an amulet that, if imbued in a Horadric Cube with a potion made of the eggs, it would grand its bearer immortality. But this amulet has never been found.

Neferaton dismissed the spirit with an excited gesture. He knew where that amulet was: around the neck of his brother Riathon, a gift from the lost souls. All he had to do was take it, and immortality was within his reach. But first, he had to get rid of the souls guarding his brother.

~*~

Aurion stopped for a moment and looked around. Cain and Macha had been captivated by the old tale. And they still could not see the horrors hidden between the lines....


	7. Sins of the Father

CHAPTER 6: Sins of the Father

__

"Death Unconquerable,

Death Eternal,

All that I am,

All that I have been,

Is yours alone.

Let death be Life,

As all Life is Death,

By my breath,

By my blood,

By my Life.

Through Death and Fire,

So mote it be!"

Incantation to summon the God of Death

From the "Book of the Dead Gods"

Aurion brought the cup to his lips, refreshing with throat with the ruby red liquid. He drew in a short breath and resumed his tale.

~*~

Neferaton worked on his plan with the utmost secrecy. If he succeeded in taking the amulet from his brother, which would probably result in Riathon's death, he should make his escape fast. Every necromancer in the known world would be after him. He should get rid of the spirits that shielded his brother, and for this he consulted ancient, forbidden scriptures. Soon, he was ready to bring his plan to life.

During the darkest hour of the new moon, he drew a pentagram of blood in his dungeon, lighted a hundred black candles and burned incense made of flesh and bones. Reading from a tattered scroll, he invoked an ancient creature, born when the time was young. It had walked the earth on fiery pathways but, as the planet cooled down, its kin had taken refuge close to the planet core, surfacing only to feed. And it feeds off human souls.

It took all of Neferaton's concentration to summon the creature. When it appeared in the circle before him, he saw a creature of smoke and shadow, an unholy ghost of cursed fire. It cried and it hissed, demanding to know why it had been called from his flaming lair. Neferaton explained the terms of the deal; it would rid him from his brother's guardians and it could feed off their souls, as well as his brother's after he was done with him. The creature nodded affirmatively. But Neferaton should have known better that to shake hands with the Dark Ones.

He led the creature inside Riathon's room. On entering, his guarding spirits rose and hissed at them, but they were soon annihilated by the creature of shadow. Neferaton threw a blast of ice to his brother, binding his hands in a frozen prison. And he reached out to take the amulet from his neck. He stopped his move on mid air, halted by his brother grim laughter.

"So, you've finally showed your true face, little brother", hissed Riathon. "You want the amulet, but you are unaware of the curse that it carries".

"Explain!" Neferaton had never been as furious as this. So close, and yet so far away from his goal. 

"Once worn, it can never be removed", he said with a sad smile. "I can never take it off, not even when life has become a burden and I wish for nothing than death. It can only be taken away and only by one who has no soul. So", he grinned nastily at Neferaton, "unless you are willing to sacrifice your own soul, walk away this moment".

Neferaton was beside himself with anger. His deranged mind chose for him, and he turned at the Dark One, making his offering. The creature advanced, and sunk its teeth on his throat. Riathon stood silent as the creature drunk his brother's soul and Neferaton's body twisted and trembled under the fiend's kiss. And then the unthinkable happened. Neferaton moved his neck sideways, driving the creature's teeth deeper in his flesh. But with this move, he was able to kiss it back.

An unholy exchange started, initiated by Neferaton's cursed kiss. The creature shrieked and tried to break off, but it was too late. Neferaton consumed its essence, and it soon fell to ashes before him. No arcane spell or chant could have achieved what he did driven by his will alone. By will and an insatiable thirst for power. Crazed, haunted and soulless, he turned to his brother and slit his throat with his clawed hand. He picked up the bloodied amulet and vanished into the night.

~*~

Aurion took another sip from his wine. He felt a light flutter in his stomach seeing Macha staring at him with big, fiery eyes. Cain was as hooked and even his golem appeared caught in the tale.

"Well? What happened next?" asked the amazon, eager to know more.

Aurion looked at the shadows dancing in his cup.

"Neferaton fled to the east, and found the temple of the Lost God of Death. He drunk the eggs' potion and imbued the amulet, but immortality was not what he had expected. Having merged with the Dark One, he has become a half creature, one of eternal shadow. He cannot leave the temple, for the effects of the amulet wear off outside the Death Gods influence. So he's condemned in a half life, feeding off the souls of those stupid enough to seek him out", he said, and a shadow crossed his pale face.

"And why do you seek him, Aurion?" asked Cain, fearing the answer.

"To kill him and restore the amulet on Riathon's grave", he replied steadily.

"So", said Macha, "this is an issue of revenge, to pay him back for the murder of your leader?"

"Not exactly", replied Aurion, the shadows darkening even more his haunted eyes. "I seek to atone for my father's crimes. Neferaton was my father".

If he had said that Diablo was his father, they wouldn't be as shocked.

"My mother had elfish blood in her. She died giving birth to me, two months after Riathon's murder. This means I'm five thousand years old, and all my life I had been searching for the location of the lost Temple. Thanks to the Dark Wanderer who swept through the jungles of Kurast, I know where to look. And how to deal with him". He then remained silent, lost in painful memories, memories of a life that had been too long.

Macha and Cain retired to their rooms, leaving him alone.

__

But not in peace....

**************************************************************************************************

Author's notes: OK, so I'm late from updating. I've been busy with my Harry Potter/Severus Snape fanfic, and guess what? Aurion Whitbone, my favourite necromancer, has a guest appearance there. Check it out, and leave a review.

IT NEVER HURTS TO REPEAT: TO READ IS HUMAN; TO REVIEW IS DIVINE (quoted from another FFnet author)


	8. Ship of Fools

__

Author's notes and warning: This chapter contains sexual material, meaning a scene of consensual sex. If this offends you, then DON'T READ IT! Otherwise, enjoy, and tell me what you think!

CHAPTER 7: Ship of Fools

__

Creature of air, 

Creature of lust, 

Flesh of my flesh 

Daughter of Darkness,

Come to me this night.

I call you with Fire,

I call you with Pain,

I'll feed you with Blood,

I'll feed you with Semen.

Come to me, now,

Child of the Serpent!

Ancient Incantation for summoning a succubus.

From the "Book of the Dead Gods", Appendix 3

~*~

On the ship's deck, Aurion was staring at the horizon. He appeared lost in his thoughts, but nothing escaped him. Macha was tending to her gear, making small adjustments to her crossbow but mainly working on her tan. Cain was in the cabin below, having some private time since sea voyage had never entered his list of favorite activities.

They were not the only passengers to Kurast. The news of the Dark Wanderer passing through the jungle had caught the attention of the usual mob. Merchants of war supplies, and healers carrying stocks of various potions. Adventurous barbarians, lusting for loot and bloodshed. Dark assassins, keeping their distance from Aurion, aware of his lethal spells. And always present the type of people Aurion could never tolerate: Holier-than-thou paladins, walking about in shiny armors considering themselves saviors of the land.

One of them had really got on Aurion's bad side since the journey begun. He was loud; but not in the way barbarians are, shouting and belching and brawling all the time. At least barbarians were straightforward people. This paladin, like others of his Order, was a phony. He was loud in his morning and evening prayers in a very pharisaic sort of way. He was eager to speak of his deeds of valor to anyone who would listen, preferably to an audience who would look up to him as if he were a myth. And he was loud with the ladies too.

Macha had caught the paladin's eye from the start. After several failed attempts to impress her with his combat skills and stories, he realized he had to use a different aproach to lure her in his cabin. He offered himself as a breeding specimen, the way the amazons are accustomed to choose the fathers of their children. Aurion watched with amusement the emotions that played upon Macha's face when the paladin proposed at her. He had a hard time keeping his face straight when she punched the paladin's face and broke his nose, leaving him disfigured, probably for good. Cursing in a completely unknightly manner the paladin withdrew and kept his distance ever since. Perhaps the humility his order had failed to teach him might arise from a broken nose. 

~*~

With renewed respect, Aurion let his guard down just a bit and let Macha reach out to him. During the last night of their journey, seated under a starlit sky and over a bottle of red wine, the amazon told him her story. It was a sad tale, but one Aurion had heard too many times before.

Macha had been born in an amazon camp where she had spent her entire life learning the art of warfare. She was the youngest of seven sisters, of which only two were still alive, apart from her. The rest had fallen during the Times of Darkness that swept over the land when Diablo first came to this realm. But her older sister had gone before her in search of the Dark Wanderer, and her trail was lost in the Jungles of Kurast. With the last sister pregnant, it was up to her to track down her missing relative or avenge her death. Macha had no children of her own; all she left behind, save her pregnant sister, was her lover, her companion in bed and in combat. She too had been in advanced pregnancy and although it broke her heart, she had no choice but to leave her behind.

Behind them, Aurion's golem stood in silence, towering over them as a guarding angel. It appeared inanimate, but if you could look closer, its jeweled eyes were fixed on Macha's face.

~*~

Kurast was worse than they had feared. The townsfolk had retreated at the harbor, crowding in wrecked huts to protect themselves from the elements and the horrors that lurked in the jungle, feeding off mutated fish and fetish meat. Diseases and hunger tormented the once proud people and the horde of aspiring adventurers was adding to their suffering. Thanks to Cain's connections they were settled in a small room at the inn.

Aurion looked at the plate of strange stew the innkeeper placed before him with utter disgust.

"I summon dead things; I don't eat them", he declared and pushed it away. He was feeling very uncomfortable. It was hot and humid he felt little things crawling on his delicate skin. On the other hand, Macha seemed completely unimpressed. She devoured her share of the food, helping it down with gulps of warm ale and then she had Aurion's meal as well.

__

At least, Aurion thought with a wicked delight, _by the end of the week I'll have my own room in this pathetic inn. Most of the other residents will be dead by then_.

Macha, finishing the last bits of her meal, raised her eyes from her plate and looked at him.

"What now?" she asked in a low voice.

"Tonight we sleep. And tomorrow we'll enter the jungle", he replied, his eyes burning like pits of hell.

~*~

He had been certain that the humidity and heat would keep him from sleeping. But he slept. And he dreamt.

Aurion found himself venturing the depths of a dusty dungeon, expecting an attack at every corner. He was alone; he had no recollection of how he had ended there, or where his companions, the amazon and the golem, had been. But there was a deafening silence within these walls; as if everything stood still.

He reached a clearing. On closer inspection, this must have been a place of worship, a long forgotten chapel. As he entered the room, the torches on the walls lit up. Before him Aurion saw two bodies, both of them seemingly dead. The first was the paladin from the ship. He knelt beside his bloodied remains and examined the body. He was dead all right. His heart had been ripped off and his ribcage was standing open, offering a nesting place to spiders and maggots. Aurion stood up and proceeded to the other body, the one lying on the altar.

This body belonged to a woman, a very beautiful one. A _naked_ woman. She was lying on her stomach on top of the altar, with a cascade of golden hair falling all the way to the floor. As he reached out to feel his pulse, she opened her eyes and smiled at him. Slowly, she moved upwards, standing on all fours with a feline grace. She leaned back and climbed off the altar, stretching her long, creamy limbs like a white tiger. Then she walked closer to him and her fingers of her left hand brushed his cheek. The right hand, however, had taken a firm grip of his crotch.

Aurion drew a sharp breath as his years of sexual abstinence caused his organ to rise in demand. His mind tried franticly to make an evaluation of the situation he found himself in, but his loins were already in fire. Losing the last of his clear thinking, he pushed the woman back, pressing her soft buttocks against the cold altar. Laughing softly, she raised her legs around his waist, leading his fingers inside her moist opening. With his organ demanding immediate relief, he unbuckled his pants and pushed inside her.

He heard her moan with pleasure, as her tight flesh closed around his organ. Lost in the waves of lust, he could still feel something bothering him in the back of his head. But with this incredible creature moaning and trembling under him, he couldn't grasp the source of his worries. And then he realized how cold was her skin. His organ felt as if it was sucked by a dead, rotting leech and not by a woman's vagina. He looked at her face, and his heart stopped.

Her features changed from the ones he had seen to these of Macha. It was her he was fucking inside a cold tomb, identical to the slightest detail, even the scar across her face. His pulse increased, feeling his climax approaching. And then the woman's features changed once more. She no longer was a human, but a creature from hell, a succubus with sharp teeth seeking his flesh and semen. As he convulsed in orgasm, he felt the creature's teeth sinking in his neck.

~*~

Aurion started from his sleep, drowning his scream at the last moment. The last thing he wanted was his companions to see him drenched in sweat, not to mention his very embarrassing hard-on. He threw away the covers, needing desperately some fresh air. As he stood up, he saw Macha's peaceful face illuminated by a moonbeam. His eyes traveled down her body, feasting on the golden flesh of her naked back. With his organ jerking in protest, Aurion cursed behind his teeth and got out of the room.

He stood over the calm sea, watching the shadows dancing over the water. Slowly, he willed his body to relax, knowing he could not afford such distractions. As he regained control over his heart and loins, he started to walk back to his humble bed. Only then did he realize he was stalked.

Emerging out of the shadows, five assassins closed around him.

An ambush!


End file.
